Women Fourth, Men Seventh in BWC XC Poll

Aug. 25, 2009

Irvine, Calif. -
Cal Poly SLO's men were a unanimous choice to defend their Big West Conference cross country championship in 2009 while UC Riverside was a narrow pick in close balloting by the women's head coaches. Cal Sate Fullerton was forecast for fourth place among the women and seventh among the men.

The Mustang men, who collected 64 points and eight first place votes, were chosen as a unanimous favorite for the fourth consecutive season and will seek their record seventh-consecutive crown. UC Santa Barbara was second in the poll with 50 points, narrowly edging out UC Riverside which finished third with 49 points. Fourth place belonged to UC Davis with 42 tallies, while Long Beach State and UC Irvine followed in fifth and sixth place with 32 and 25 points, respectively. Cal State Fullerton (18) and Cal State Northridge (8) rounded out the 2009 edition of the men's preseason poll.

UC Riverside finished atop one of the closest women's preseason polls in recent history with 70 points, which included four first place votes. The Highlanders narrowly edged out UC Davis (68 pts., two first place votes) and Cal Poly (66 pts., two first place votes) in what could be a glimpse into the Championships in October. Cal State Fullerton also could stake its claim as the Titans finished with a first place vote and 54 points for fourth place, while UC Santa Barbara (48) and UC Irvine (39) were fifth and sixth, respectively. Long Beach State came in seventh with 33 tallies, while Cal State Northridge (17) and Pacific (10) wrapped up the final two positions in the women's preseason poll.

Fullerton's season begins on Sept. 5 with the annual Season Opener Meet at a new location, the Fullerton Municipal Golf Course.